


White Elephant

by oneill



Category: Karneval
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-04
Updated: 2013-09-04
Packaged: 2017-12-25 15:43:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/954875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneill/pseuds/oneill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the fic_promptly prompt: author's choice, author's choice, birthday surprise gone wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	White Elephant

Tsukumo cuddled the niji pup to her chest and buried her nose in its soft fur. She had never expected to receive such a wonderful gift from Hirato. Still, as she walked down the corridor, a growing unease settled in her stomach. Would Nai feel hurt by this? She found him in his room, building a simple model of Second Ship with one of the sheep.

"Nai-kun," she said, closing the door behind her.

Nai looked up from a half-assembled wing and beamed. "Tsukumo-chan! Happy birthday! Ah." His eyes widened and his smile vanished when he noticed the pup cradled in Tsukumo's arms.

"Hirato bought her for my birthday," Tsukumo rushed to explain. "I just want you to know, she's not here to replace you or anything! You're still--"

"So _cute_!" Nai ran over to swing the niji up into the air, much like Yogi tended to do to him. The niji squeaked, her legs and tail wiggling happily.

Tsukumo breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Yes, she really is."

Nai brought the niji down to settle in the crook of his arm. "What's her name?" he asked as he scratched under her chin.

"Actually, I was hoping you could help me think of one."

There was a soft knock at the door. It clicked open to reveal Hirato. He carried a small cardboard box whose open sides were covered in a fine-meshed screen. A cacophony of ominous chirps shrilled from within. Tsukumo's entire body went stiff.

"Ah, Tsukumo," Hirato said. "I realized I had forgotten to give these to you. They should tide you over for the next week or so, but you'll have to buy her food from now on." He smiled, his glasses flashing in the light. "Feeding her is part of your responsibility, as her keeper."

 

"Hm? A niji?" Akari took the proffered crate and brought it up to eye level to inspect the creature within. The pup seemed perfectly healthy: its eyes were clear, its fur was sleek, and it stared back at Akari in bright curiosity. The licensing papers were all in order as well. His gaze slid back down to Tsukumo, then to Nai, who stood on the opposite side of the office, holding a box of feeder crickets and looking bewildered. "It's extremely difficult to obtain approval for the private possession of such a rare animal. Where did you get it?"

"Hi--Hirato gave her to me," Tsukumo said, her shoulders hunched and her eyes fixed on the floor.

The furrow in Akari's brow deepened. This entire situation was highly suspect; no doubt Hirato would later claim a favor owed in return for such an exorbitant gift. "Why don't you keep it, then?" he asked.

"That's--Um . . ."

A cricket escaped from the box in Nai's hands and hopped across the office, landing squarely on Tsukumo's shoe. She strangled a yelp and batted at her legs until the cricket hopped away again.

Ah. So _that_ was the bastard's angle. "Fine. I'll take it," Akari said, setting the crate on his desk and taking the crickets from Nai. "Hearty could use some company, and I understand flower-rabbits and niji get along rather well." He frowned down at Tsukumo and Nai for a moment before adding, "I suppose you could come for the occasional visit, assuming you conduct yourselves appropriately."


End file.
